Motor neurone disease may have “robbed” Neale Daniher of many things, but it also gave him a renewed resolve to fight for others battling the condition.
The AFL legend and FightMND founder was awarded the 2025 Australian of the Year for his work over a decade in raising more than $100 million to find a cure for the disease.
After being diagnosed in 2013, Mr Daniher has led to spearhead the FightMND charity, which has gone on to fund medical research.
“(MND) doesn’t discriminate, it robs you of your ability to move, speak, swallow and eventually breathe,” he said upon accepting the award.
“But it did something else too: it lit a fire within me, a determination to fight for those who are currently affected and those who will face it after me.”
The 63-year-old said he hoped the title of Australian of the Year would give a bigger focus to efforts in tackling the disease.
“Imagine unlocking the mysteries of the neurological frontier right here in Australia,” he said.
“Imagine a world where families don’t lose their loved ones to this cruel disease, and imagine the power of what we can achieve together when we each take small steps to make a difference.”
Saturday’s ceremony also saw Wheelchairs for Kids co-founder Brother Olly Pickett named Senior Australian of the Year, honouring his work in providing mobility aids to thousands of children in developing countries.
“A child with a disability receives a new life, by getting off the ground, having dignity as well as mobility,” he said.
“They can now go to the village school and have an education. They mix with their friends and they feel included.”
Young Australian of the Year went to Queensland scientist Katrina Wruck, who was recognised for her pioneering work in green chemistry in Indigenous communities.
“When kids, especially Indigenous kids, see someone like me in this position, it tells them that they belong, that their dreams are valid and their voices are powerful,” Dr Wruck said.
The Australian Local Hero was shared between Canberra cafe owners Vanessa Brettell and Hannah Costello, whose business is a social enterprise for women from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
“We help women from war affected areas who have experienced unspeakable trauma and loss and who arrive in Australia full of hope for a fresh start only to face new challenges,” Ms Brettell said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese congratulated the winners, saying Mr Daniher had been an extraordinary inspiration.
“The way that he has been determined to turn what is an extraordinarily difficult situation into helping others is amazing, and a very worthy recipient, as all of the winners are,” he told ABC Radio.
